Bid For New Store Still Has Chance

LAKE MARY — The city could still get its first major grocery store since commissioners decided last week not to kill requests that would pave the way for the proposed shopping center.

Commissioners narrowly rejected a motion to deny a request to allow the center in an area zoned for professional office use.

The commission also delayed granting any rezoning or conditional use requests by the developer until the planning and zoning board has reviewed them.

One major concern of commissioners was the amount of frontage the shopping center would have on Lake Mary Boulevard and the traffic such a center would generate on the already busy road.

Hugh Harling, of Harling, Locklin & Associates, said he was confident the shopping center could be built without frontage on Lake Mary Boulevard and said the firm could contribute extra land to the city for a park.

Commissioners Russ Megonegal and Paul Tremel voted to deny the request while commissioners Charlie Webster, Ken King and Buzz Petsos voted against it.